


Six Hours to LaGuardia

by SassySnowperson (DramaticEntrance)



Series: Modern Pilots [2]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Age Difference, Airplanes, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Brief discussions of past character death, Enthusiastic Consent, First Time Together, Hair Kink, M/M, Pilots, Porn with Feelings, Power Dynamics, Prequel, Too many feelings for PWP
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-20 05:58:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16131098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DramaticEntrance/pseuds/SassySnowperson
Summary: "Just got my replacement First Officer. It's Poe Dameron.""You don't sound thrilled.""It'll be fine. Just…I've met him at a few of the company mixers and"—Luke cleared his throat, heat on his cheeks—"He has been...aggressively flirtatious, in the past. That's going to be fun to manage.""You know you could just go for it." Bodhi tone turned teasing, Luke could picture his sly smile as clearly as if Luke were standing in front of him.The flight from London to New York is the first chance Luke has to get to know Rogue Air's most surprising First Officer. It goes better than he expected.A prequel toEight Hours to O'Hare, can be read first, second, or independently.





	Six Hours to LaGuardia

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dolly_Bassett](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dolly_Bassett/gifts).



> Thanks upon thanks to the amazing [Dolly Bassett](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Dolly_Bassett/) for looking over this one, refining it, and adding all the industry-accurate details. You're amazing. 
> 
> She also basically poked me until the whole universe existed, so if you're enjoying it, you should thank her. I know I do. 
> 
> Slightly spoiler-y content warnings regarding the tagged minor character death discussion are in the end notes.

### Hour -1

Luke grumbled as he settled down in an out-of-the-way corner of the Rogue Air crew room at Heathrow. The thick London fog curled up next to the windows as Luke tucked his phone between shoulder and ear, flipping through the crew sheet. "Damn it." 

"Hm?" Bodhi asked through the speaker. 

"Ah, nothing. My First Officer on the flight out, Jess—" 

"Pava? Oh good, I'm glad you got to fly with her, she's great."

"One of your mentees?" 

"Luke," Bodhi said reproachfully, "I am a reprobate. A rascal. I have negative company spirit. I certainly don't mentor anyone." 

"Uh-huh. And it's a coincidence that at least once a week you can be found in earnest conversation with minority pilots, helping them figure things out?"

"Luke, baby, I adore you, but our industry is too damn white." 

"The lunches?"

"Coincidence," Bodhi said, insincerely. "But yes, Pava is one of mine." 

"Thought so. She was good to fly with. But she wanted some time off in London and I just got the replacement."

"You don't sound thrilled." 

"I'm...it'll be fine." Luke sighed, putting the crew sheet down and grabbing the phone off of his shoulder. "It's Poe Dameron. You know him?" 

"Yeah, did his line training. He's new to the 787, but he's sharp. I've never had a problem with his flying." 

"I have no idea about his piloting, but I've met him at a few of the company mixers and"—Luke cleared his throat, aware that with the heat he was feeling on his cheeks, he was almost certainly blushing—"He has been...aggressively flirtatious, in the past. That's going to be fun to manage." 

Bodhi roared with laughter. Luke could hear in the background a sharp quizzical bark, followed by a much lower rumbling whuff. Bodhi clucked at his dogs soothingly, then turned his attention back to Luke. "The Legend of Luke Skywalker strikes again!" 

"Shush."

"It's what you get for being heroic and pretty." 

Luke tutted at the phone. "Not so pretty now. And I've never been a hero. Just doing—"

"—the job, same as anyone would. I know." Bodhi's voice is soft and exasperated. 

Luke gave the phone a fond smile. "I'm sure it'll be okay." 

"You know you could just go for it." Bodhi tone turned teasing, Luke could picture his sly smile as clearly as if Luke were standing in front of him. 

"I prefer to avoid pretty young things. All flash, no substance. That's your game, not mine." 

Bodhi made an injured noise. "Hey, hey, that __was__ my game. I am deeply and boringly monogamous now. Don't go besmirching my good name. Wedge will glare at you disapprovingly." 

"Horror of horrors," Luke said, entirely without inflection. "Right, well, I guess I should sort this out. Could be worse. It's better if they hit on me, as opposed to the cabin crew."

Bodhi gave an agreeable grunt. "Lord save us all from entitled pretty boys who have been taught that boundaries don't apply to them." 

"Amen. Wish me luck." 

"I'll wish you lucky! Like...you know...getting lucky...that didn't work." 

"It really didn't," Luke said, laughing. "Anyway, this is home leg for me. Homeward bound at last." 

"Good good. Wedge and I will have you over for dinner when you get back, yeah? As you can hear, the dogs miss their uncle."

"Sounds good. See you then." 

Luke made his way out to the aircraft, remembering what he knew of Poe. Mostly what he remembered was glittering brown eyes sliding up and down Luke's form, the predatory tilt of his body into Luke's space. He had been caught so off guard by this fresh-faced First Officer getting up close and personal that he hadn't managed to actually verbalize a rejection for a good thirty seconds. 

Poe had taken the rejection with good grace and a charming wink, and Luke had been left thinking that good Lord, he did not remember First Officers being quite that handsome when he was young. 

Of course, then Poe had completely failed to take the hint, and shown up wherever Luke was with alarming accuracy. It took at least three more lazy passes before he finally got it through his head that Luke was not interested. The flirting died down, but the smiles were still knowing, and Luke wasn't entirely certain he liked what they knew. 

Poe was standing by the nose wheel, his hands in his pockets, looking up at the aircraft. The high-vis jacket over Poe’s uniform thankfully tempered the Hollywood-like glare of his good looks. Luke walked up behind him, braced himself, then cleared his throat.

Poe twisted, eyes lighting up momentarily at seeing Luke, but well within the bounds of respectable behavior with his nod and polite, "Afternoon, Captain." 

"Afternoon, Poe." Luke was friendly, but internally remained wary. "How's she look?" 

"Walk-around complete," Poe said looking up at the nose with a fond smile. "She's looking happy."

"Happy?" Luke tilted his head and gave the aircraft a considering look. 

"Well," Poe said easily, "as happy as any plane looks on the ground. They're happiest when they fly." 

Luke found himself smiling, echo of the joy he felt whenever he got to see a plane in flight from the outside. The same joy that had driven him to fly in the first place, taking his uncle's crop duster up and feeling free in a way he never had before. "You know, I think I understand what you mean." 

"I thought you might." Poe looked approving. He gestured at the stairs. "Shall we?" 

"After you," Luke said, and fell into step behind him. 

### Hour 0

Luke keyed the transmit button. “Shanwick, Rebel one-five-niner estimating RESNO at Mach point eight-two, flight level three-four-zero, able three-eight-zero. Request oceanic route as per filed flight plan.”

Both pilots took down the confirmed clearance, Poe reading it back smoothly to Luke, one eye on the controls. As they settled in for the cruise, he slumped back in the chair, some tension easing out of his form. 

"Nice departure," Luke said, because he believed in praising talent. Not an easy take-off; five hundred metres visibility through the characteristically thick London fog. 

"It was, wasn't it," Poe said, because he apparently had no shame. But then he continued, "Low vis still stresses me out, a bit," in a sheepish tone.

Luke was bemused to find the bravado and humility all mixed up together. One usually precluded the other. "It's hard to trust your instincts and your instruments, when your eyes are busy screaming at you that they can't see. It'll get easier, the more you fly." 

"That's good to hear. I didn't have the opportunity to do much flying before Embry-Riddle, and Daytona has some beach fog but nothing like Heathrow."

"Yeah, I remember that," Luke said with a wry chuckle. "It's my alma mater too." 

"No kidding!" Poe sounded delighted. 

"Yep." Luke paused for a moment. "Inside the library, are there still those...plaques? With the History of Aviation awards?" 

Poe nodded. "Not keen on redecorating, apparently." 

"Apparently. When I was there I managed to get myself locked in overnight." 

"They do that?" 

"Fell asleep between bookshelves." 

"It's a brutal program," Poe said, sympathetically. 

"Anyway, I was stuck in the library and had some glue on me, and I dealt with my frustration by very carefully changing every time they used the word "wind" to "wine." Just...chip off the top part of the 'd', glue it across the circle." Luke drew in the air. "Instant "wine tunnel." Made me feel better. They didn't catch it while I was still at the school." Luke smiled at the memory. 

"Luke," Poe said next to him, sounding almost reverential. "That was you?" 

"No. There is no way that it went that long without someone catching it."

"Oh, sure, people caught it, but it's like, legend. The Wine Tunnel. Some people bluster about changing the plaques but it's never worth the student pushback." 

"I don't believe you." Luke said, blinking at his console without really seeing it. 

"I am pretty sure I Instagrammed it at some point. Show you when we land."

### Hour 1

"So," Luke asked, glancing over to watch Poe program the flight management system, updating the aircraft’s cruising level. "Time for the big question." 

Poe's hands froze as he looked slowly over at Luke. "I need you to know that about sixty-three different random facts about electrical systems jumped into my brain in a panic just now." 

Luke chuckled. "Electrical systems?" 

"I hate them," Poe said mournfully. "Been prepping for the line check, so they're on my mind." 

Luke gave a sympathetic grunt. "Never really minded those sorts of technicalities, electrics, hydraulics, I like knowing how the beasts work." Luke patted the engine. "But for all that I hated the principles of flight stuff. Machines made more sense to me."

"You're weird," was Poe's opinion. 

"Fair, but regardless, that wasn't what I was going to ask."

Poe made a face. "I'm a little scared of what you will be asking, then." 

"Why flying?" 

Poe relaxed, and the smile he gave Luke was entirely genuine. "Oh, that! Could talk about that all day. It's my mom's fault." 

"She's a pilot?" 

"In another life, she would have been, but only very technically in this one." Poe grinned. "She hang glides. Throws herself off of mountains with just an overgrown kite tied to her back." 

"I can see why you would give her the technicality."

"Yeah. She loves flying. Just never got the chance to connect with the powered side of things. I think she thinks engines are superfluous. And when I was like, three years old she strapped me to her chest and flung me out over the ocean." 

"That sounds terrifying." 

"Luke, man, I turned into a pilot. I loved it. She's got this picture of me afterward, I look like I just won the three-year-old equivalent of the lottery." 

"Lifetime supply of gummy bears," Luke said. 

"An entire mountain of Lego," Poe shot back. "But, in any case, I was doomed." 

"Just like the rest of us." Luke raised an imaginary glass. "Welcome to the club."

### Hour 2

"Hello gents," Oola poked her head in to the cabin, "Nearly time for meal service. Get your orders in." 

"Risotto for me," Luke said, familiar with the first class menu from the flight over.

"Um." Poe took the offered menu and gave it a quick scan. "Is the chicken in poblano mole actually good?" 

"It's mild enough that the midwesterners eat it." Oola said with genuine sadness. 

Poe gave a disappointed tut. "Better go with the fig compote then." 

"Good choice." Oola stole the menu back. "Speaking of spices, Luke? Is there any chance..." 

"I have some Globetrotter in my bag, just grab it." Luke waved his hand in the general direction of his flight case. "There's enough for the crew." 

"This is why we love flying with you." Oola grinned. 

"Globetrotter?" Poe asked after an expectant pause. "Please tell me you're not getting our cabin crew drunk." 

Luke laughed. "No, no. Hot chocolate. It's a personal blend. I make it myself, and it needs spices from at least three continents. It's very indulgent. I tend to keep some on hand to treat the crew. Oola's flown with me often enough to develop a taste."

"You...bring the cabin crew hot chocolate," Poe said, each word deliberate.

"Gets cold over the ocean." 

"But." Poe blinked. "Hot chocolate?" 

Luke gave a gentle chuckle. "This...it can be a lonely career. We fly with different people every trip. And we're leaving so often it can be hard to build a life back home." Luke swallowed down a complicated mix of emotions, of memories. His empty bed and how it hadn't always been that way. Bodhi, Wedge, and the friendships he had built across the world. "But it doesn't have to be that way. I find it's worth it, to invest in kindness. It lets you build the sorts of friendships that can withstand the regular geographic displacement."

Poe didn't say anything right away, but inclined his head thoughtfully. Eventually, he said, "I'd like to try some." 

"Not in the air, I’m afraid. I wasn’t kidding about the spice blend; don't want to accidentally give you an allergic reaction while we’re airborne. But I'll make sure I send you off with a packet when we land." 

"Fair enough," Poe said cheerfully, before launching into a story about the worst chicken noodle soup he had ever eaten, back when he was still flying short haul. Luke settled back to listen, surprised at how much he was enjoying the company, as the distant ocean slid by beneath them.

### Hour 3

Luke checked the nav display. "Looks like our ETA has us coming in fifteen minutes early." 

"I see that. I always like making those announcements, as opposed to the other kind." 

"Well, feel free to take this one..." Luke paused, giving Poe a sideways look. "Actually, have you ever played the Word Game?" 

Poe gave a bright grin. "I have, but I would have placed money on you disapproving of that sort of thing." 

Luke winked at Poe, immediately feeling a bit chagrined at that bit of familiarity, but covering it with a quick, "I won't tell if you won't."

Poe looked delighted. "Alright, Captain, hit me. I warn you, I'm astoundingly good at this." 

"Imagine my shock. Okay," Luke made a show of thinking, "desert, flag, wallet." 

"Really?"

"Too hard?" Luke asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Poe scoffed, "Too easy. Watch and learn." He reached forward, toggling on the intercom. "Hello ladies and gentlemen, this is your First Officer speaking, it is my pleasure to announce that while we are crossing the big blue desert of the Atlantic Ocean, we've caught a good tailwind, and right now our ETA puts us in fifteen minutes ahead of schedule. If you feel like celebrating your impeccable pilots, I suggest you break out your wallet and flag down the cabin crew, I'm sure we've got some champagne. Thank you for flying Rogue Air." 

Luke gave a slight incline of his head. "Not bad." 

"Pretty damn good," Poe said, all charming smiles and pilot's swagger. 

Luke rolled his eyes. "I won't go so easy on you next time."

"Bring it." 

Luke put his eyes down to hide how much that made him smile.

### Hour 4

"Luke, hon." Oola stepped into the cockpit behind him. "Got that coffee you asked for." 

"Thanks Oola." Luke twisted in his chair, bracing his left hand on Poe's chair while he reached back with his right, grabbing the coffee as he brought it carefully across the console, cupping it in his hands and taking a sip before giving a happy sigh. He always felt particularly tired in the last couple hours before a flight ended, the lull before the madness of approach and landing. Probably psychological. Coffee still helped. 

Luke glanced up and saw that Poe was watching his cup with a glare, something about its presence offending him. 

Luke tucked the cup into the holder next to him and turned to Poe, "Did you want some?" 

"No," Poe said in a tight voice. 

Luke glanced over, and found that Poe was looking straight ahead, muscles around his jaw tight with tension. Something was bothering Poe. Whatever it was, he didn't seem to want to talk about it. Luke folded his hands in front of himself, pensive. As long as it didn't impact Poe's flying, Luke wouldn't try to pry it out of him. 

The tension in the cabin stayed thick, Poe not speaking for minutes, the longest gap of silence between them since departure. Luke watched Poe out of the corner of his eye, and Poe kept glaring at...

Not the coffee cup. 

Luke's hands? 

Luke was just confused, at this point. He was still weighing the benefits of silence against breaking the awkwardness hanging thick around them when Poe made the decision for him. 

"Are you married?" Poe asked, his voice sharp and disapproving. 

"Ah," Luke said, understanding several things with lightning-bolt clarity. He considered his left hand, running his thumb across the line where his ring used to sit, patch of pale skin against darker tan. Luke imagined he could still feel the indent. 

It wasn't...unheard of for married crew to take advantage of the wandering nature of the job, wedding bands disappearing into their suitcases so they could fuck townies without those difficult little conversations about the spouse back home. 

Luke had never gotten along well with that sort. His eyes made their way over to Poe again, sitting there radiating palpable disapproval, ready to pick a fight for the sake of Luke's hypothetical spouse. It was a dangerous move, a captain as senior as Luke could make Poe's life substantially more difficult. Poe didn't seem to care. 

Luke really, really liked that. 

Unfortunately, the honest answer to that question wasn't going to make Poe's life _easier_. 

"No," Luke said with a sad smile. "I was. Widowed, now." 

The announcement fell into the conversation like a two-ton lead weight, as it always did, utterly crushing whatever Poe was going to say next. Luke had had this conversation enough times that he found the startled blankness amusing. 

Something about the whole sad affair needed to be.

"Oh, shit." Poe's voice lost its edge, his disapproval fell off his face. For once, he didn't seem to have a quip waiting.

Luke took some mercy on Poe, making sure his voice was warm when he said, "It was a long time ago. But we were together for years and something like that doesn't fade quickly." 

Dak had asked him, in those beautiful, terrible, last days to not wear the ring after he was gone. _"It doesn't erase what we've had together. But I don't like the thought of you being married to a ghost. Promise me, you'll live."_

Luke had promised, because he had never been any good at denying Dak. It had still taken him well over a year to finally slide the ring off. He had sat there, band of gold in his right hand, heartened and saddened all at once to see its negative still living on his left ring finger, permatan from the sun that flight always found, soaring above the highest layer of clouds. 

Luke gave a sad smile. "I like that my skin remembers."

"Of course," Poe said, eyes intent on Luke's ring finger. He swallowed and looked away. "Hey, um, I'm sorry." 

"Thank you. Don't worry about it. It was long enough ago that the memories are easy, now." 

Poe's tan skin showed the barest hint of pink behind it. "No, not for that, for before." 

"Oh, it's fine." Luke chuckled. "Reasonable assumption."

"No," Poe's blush rallied, pink tinging toward red. "Even earlier. When we...first met. I...I'm sorry. If I was disrespectful." 

Luke bit his lip to catch the laugh that was suddenly trying to escape him. "You were certainly shameless."

Poe gave a weak smile.

Luke continued, "But for all that, no, not disrespectful. At least, not to Dak's memory. He never wanted me to be alone." Luke ran his teeth over his lower lip, host of old sorrows and joys singing in a choir through his memories. He shook his head, bringing himself back to the present. "Don't take that as in invitation now, though. I don't abide that sort of chatter on the job." 

"Oh well of course not." Poe sounds slightly offended. "We're trapped in a metal tube together. You don't hit on someone when they can't turn you down gracefully and leave." 

Luke gave a wry smile. "You'd be amazed how many of our peers don't understand that." 

"I really, really would not." 

Poe and Luke shared an exasperated look, and the easy atmosphere returned to the cockpit, all the easier for intimacies shared. 

### Hour 5

After the peace of a thankfully uneventful Atlantic passage, arriving in New York was a shock to the system. New York was a hub, a center. Luke loved that about the city, ever since he had wandered in from his tiny desert hometown. Despite the miserable cold of the winter, the expense, the effort it took to exist in that place, there was something magical about living and working where the world came together. 

This didn't simplify the task of getting an aircraft down safely amidst dozens of other pilots trying to find the same ground. Luke and Poe relaxed into the familiar chaos of the exacting approach, all conversation silenced in favor of the strict back and forth with air traffic control—clearances, instructions, speed maintenance, holding patterns. 

Still, even in the wash of noise and effort, there was a certain peace, and during a heartbeat-long lull Luke glanced over to find Poe's eyes fixed beyond the instruments, wistful smile on his face as he glanced out over the Hudson, bathed in the rich-gold afternoon light.

He was beautiful. 

" _Rebel One-Five-Niner, one-eight miles from touchdown. Descend to altitude thousand feet, QNH one-zero-one-two. Cleared ILS approach runway three-one, report established on the localiser._ "

Luke shoved that thought back to his hindbrain, where it belonged. Back to it. 

### Hour 6

"And this," Poe leaned over the pilot's chair, gesturing at a panel that was full of alerts and switches, "you know how there are some things you can't touch because it's dangerous, and it could hurt other people?" 

The young girl in the pilot's chair gave Poe a solemn nod. 

Poe winked at her. "This isn't one of them. You can push the button." 

The girl gave Poe a skeptical look, then glanced past Poe to where her mother was standing. Her mother gave a little shrug, then turned to Luke. Luke smiled. "It's fine, give it a push." 

The girl screwed up her face in determination and with a decisive little jab, pushed the button. The cockpit lights all came on and the girl gasped, looking worried. 

"Good job!" Poe praised. "You turned all the lights on! Now we can check to make sure they all work." Poe made a show of looking over the panel. "Yep, all looks good here." 

The girl was beaming as her mother ushered her out of the cockpit, grateful murmurs to Poe and Luke as she went. Poe smiled as he watched them go. 

"You're good with kids," Luke said, realizing he was smiling himself. 

"I like 'em, they haven't been doing this so long that they're jaded, you know? They're still so excited about life." 

Luke nodded. "And you never know when you might have a pilot in the making on your hands." 

"Right! As pilots, it's our sacred duty to make flying seem far more interesting than it is, in order to keep suckering people into doing the job." Poe gave a wry grin.

Luke chucked. "After all, not everyone has a hang-gliding mom to literally throw them into things." 

"Exactly." 

Poe and Luke shared a grin. Poe looked away as he reached up to rub at his shoulder, rolling his neck like he was working a knot out. "This was the home leg for you too, right?" Poe asked mid-stretch.

"It is. Always nice to land in your home base." 

"It is. Hey, Luke?" 

Luke glanced over at Poe who suddenly looked a little nervous, glancing off to the side. "Yeah?" 

"I really enjoyed the flight. You're good company. I..." Poe rolled his shoulders back, signature grin back in place. "The time went quickly, it was fun." 

Luke felt something warm and pleased settle under his sternum, and inclined his head back to Poe. "The feeling is mutual. It'd be great to fly with you again." 

Poe smiled, and now was the time when they nodded to each other, left the cockpit, and went their separate ways. Luke was surprised to find that he didn't want to. Poe's company had been energizing, enjoyable, and Luke was reluctant to give it up. 

"Glad to hear it...You know, I'm not quite ready to turn in yet, so I'm thinking about going out, grabbing a drink? You want to come along?" Poe asked, cutting across Luke's thoughts. 

Maybe he wasn't the only one who wanted to stretch the moment, Luke mused. Luke thought through his responsibilities, and came to the conclusion that none of them would be terribly hurt by Luke coming home a bit later. 

Poe, misreading Luke's consideration for hesitance, was quick to add, "Just a friendly drink, if you're interested." Poe glanced down at Luke's ring finger, and Luke was willing to bet an excessive amount of money that he hadn't meant to be that obvious. "I promise, I'm not taking anything as an invitation."

Luke gave Poe a slight smile. "I'd like a drink." 

"Really?" 

"Really. You have a spot in mind?" 

They made their way out of the airport, and Poe hailed a taxi, neither of them inclined to go home and change first. Instead, they shrugged out of the most blatant parts of their uniform: jackets off, tabs, tie, and tags removed, hat stowed safely away in the bag. Barring close inspection, they looked like most other office workers, rumpled and unwinding after a day's work. 

Luke waited for that moment, away from the flight deck and the trappings that defined their responsibilities, then cleared his throat. "Poe?" 

"Hm?" Poe looked over at him, and Luke let himself drop the wariness that came with his professionalism, let himself take in Poe's sharp good looks and the surprisingly genuine spirit underneath it. 

"You know I don't abide a particular sort of talk on the job?"

Poe gave a slow nod. 

"I never said anything about off of it." Luke smiled. It had been a while, but he was pretty sure he could still manage to make a smile suggestive. 

From the way Poe's return smile slowly spread over his face, eyebrows raising in an anticipatory tilt, Luke felt safe in saying that he had gotten it right. 

### After

Poe leaned a little closer to Luke, tilting his head down and glancing up through dark eyelashes. Luke took a sip of the beer he was nursing and thought to himself that Poe absolutely knew the angles that would frame his face, it was all a show: that the head-tilt, the way he ran his teeth across his red lower lip, the slow tracing of a finger along the rim of his bottle. Poe knew how to make his eyes and lips and hands impossible to ignore. 

Luke couldn't say that he minded all that much. Poe was gorgeous, and now that Luke was actually letting himself look, it was a sight to behold. 

Luke was still trying to figure out if it was one he wanted to touch. 

The bartender waved, catching Poe's eye, gesturing at a plate of potato skins in front of him. Poe gave a grunt of acknowledgement and hopped off of his chair, making his way over to the bar. 

As Luke watched Poe's progress across the bar, Luke chewed on the inside of his cheek, wondering what, exactly, he thought he was doing. This wasn't how he worked. He didn't date co-workers, and he definitely didn't take men a decade or two younger than him out for drinks. And yet, despite that, he was here, and so was Poe, and Luke was doing nothing to discourage Poe's flirting. It was fun. 

Fun, but it still bothered Luke that he didn't understand why Poe was interested in the first place. Poe was not the first bright-eyed, eager young pilot to try their luck against the wall of Luke's convictions. Luke had the bad luck to have his picture on the wall of Rogue Air's lobby, a much younger version of himself grinning out the window of a 747. That, combined with a tricky bit of flying that other people insisted on calling 'heroism' was enough to ensure that despite being well past forty, a moderately steady stream of admirers still showed up, hoping for a piece of Luke Skywalker. 

Luke had nothing against casual sex, but that sort of sycophantic assignation was exactly what he hoped to avoid.

As Poe made his way back from the bar, a young woman, just about Poe's age, laid a hand on his elbow. When he glanced over to her she gave the same little head-tilt that Poe had used on Luke earlier. She waved at a small table. Luke watched as Poe gave a warm smile, shook his head, lips moving as he gestured his head back over to Luke. The woman gave Poe a disappointed look, Luke a curious one, then sighed and went back to her table. 

Poe looked up and saw Luke was watching and gave a tiny shake of his head. He made his way back over to their table and tossed the potato skins down in front of both of them. "Ridiculous, isn't it, when beautiful people just _won't_ leave you alone." Poe said, brushing his fingers along the back of Luke's hand with a smile. 

Luke considered dancing around the question of 'why me' for another couple hours, realized that sounded like entirely too much work, and decided to address the issue head-on. "Why are you going after me right now?" Luke gave a meaningful nod over to the frankly beautiful young woman across the bar. "I strongly suspect that pulling is not an issue for you. There have got to be better options."

Poe looked at Luke, half-smile curling along his mouth. "I know what I like," he said, softly, "and it's actually pretty hard to find. You fit the bill, so, there's no harm in giving it my best shot." Poe took a slow drink of of his beer, letting his lips slide off the bottle with a pop. "How's it going?" he asked, voice low. 

Something warm and golden slid through Luke's belly, attraction curling around the alcohol, more than tempted to move in and capture those lips under his. "Not too badly," Luke admitted, licking his lips and enjoying the way Poe's eyes darkened. "Still," Luke grabbed at a potato skin, breaking the building energy between them. "Older men? I think you'd be spoiled for choice." 

Poe looked a little offended on Luke's behalf, but he took the question seriously. "No, not older men." Poe pauses, tilting his head to the side, eyes staring off in self-reflection. "Okay, that might be a bit of it. But," Poe shook his head, coming back to Luke, "it's more than that." 

Poe shifted a little, a duck of his head that seemed entirely unstudied, Luke couldn't help but lean closer, drawn by the honesty of that gesture.

Poe looked off into the distance and actually went a bit pink, before squaring his shoulders and turning back to Luke. "It's a very specific vibe, alright? What I'm looking for is someone who will really throw me down and fuck me into the mattress, and then will turn around and cuddle me afterward." Poe cleared his throat, bravado falling off of him, as if the boldness of the statement surprised even him. He recovered quickly. "It's hard to find." 

Luke's eyebrows climbed into his hairline. "And that's the 'vibe' you get off of me?" 

"Yes," Poe said simply. "Look, I'm not pushing. If that's not who you are, that's fine. But...you asked. And that's the answer." Poe picked at the wrapper of his bottle, not looking at Luke. 

Luke considered Poe, the surprising mix of charm and vulnerability, of flash and honesty. Luke considered Poe's answer, utterly devoid of hero worship, simply banking on compatibility, sold with a startling honesty. Luke remembered Poe during the flight, jaw set and eyes flashing, willing to make his life more complicated to stand up for what was right. 

Luke liked him. 

Luke made a decision. 

He reached over and put his hand on Poe's wrist, and the fingers picking restlessly at the bottle stilled. Luke waited until Poe looked over at him, before saying, "You're not wrong." 

Luke watched as Poe blinked, the split second processing it took to actually hear Luke's words. Poe's eyes widened. "So..."

Luke moved his hand up to slot his fingers between Poe's, stroking the delicate skin there. Poe shivered, Luke smiled. "You've got good instincts. If you're still interested." 

"Oh." Poe's throat worked, until he finally managed to say, "Yes. Very interested."

Poe seemed to run out of words at that point, looking away from Luke. Luke took pity on him and pulled his hand back, trailing his fingers lightly down Poe's forearm as they went. 

Poe took a shaky breath, finally managing to get himself together. "So. What are you looking for?"

"I wasn't," Luke answered honestly. "You are a very pleasant surprise. But as for what I like..." Luke trailed off, "Well, I guess I've always had a thing for smart-mouthed brunettes." 

Luke was pleased at the laugh that drew out of Poe. With a fond smile, he continued, "More seriously, what's important to me is that you feel comfortable communicating what you want. So far, our preferences match. I like being...pushy. And I've been told I'm an excellent cuddler." 

Poe raised his eyebrows. "Good news for me. And as you know, I've got no problem talking."

Luke nudged Poe's ankle under the table. "I am aware. Beyond that..." Luke fished for the right way to put things "...I don't usually get involved with people from the airline. I don't want this to be..." 

"...messy." Poe finished for him. "I get that. I've got no plans to go gossiping this around. Whatever happens tonight, that's just for us."

Luke nodded slowly. 

"I mean, assuming you wanted to, tonight. I don't want to be presumptuous. But, you know, assuming we did, tonight, I would—"

Luke laid his hand on Poe's wrist, and Poe's nervous words died off. Luke fixed Poe with a serious look, his own bit of showmanship. He knew his blue eyes were still captivating. "Poe." 

Poe's eyes widened. 

"Your place or mine?" Luke let the serious expression fall off of his face. 

Poe gave a shaky laugh. "Um," he thought about it for a moment, "mine?"

"Alright then." Luke took a moment to consider his uniform, starting to get rank after so many hours in it. "I am going to want a shower and change before...anything. Meet you over at your place in an hour or so?" 

"It's easier if we just share a cab," Poe said quickly. "I've got a shower. I can spot you some shampoo. Actually, it sounds nice, maybe I join you?" Poe raised his eyebrows in a suggestive little waggle. 

Luke's mouth went a little dry at the mental image of Poe naked under the spray, "That works too."

"Good," Poe said, his smile hinting that he knew the direction Luke's brain had wandered. "I'll just call us a cab then, shall I?" 

* * *

"Here we are!" Poe said cheerfully as he unlocked the door and let Luke in. Poe was buzzing with nervous energy, the entire cab ride his hands were firmly folded on his lap, as if he were worried he would reach out and take something he shouldn't if he wasn't careful. 

Luke, a little sheepishly, had to admit he did nothing to help the situation, taking a certain unholy glee in stretching his arm along the seatback and letting his fingers play against Poe's shoulder. Poe's full-body shiver was very satisfying. 

"Not much to look at, just a little one-bedroom, but the bedroom is actually separate from the living room, so that's nice." 

Luke glanced around while Poe rambled, taking in the space. It was more domestic than Luke had expected. He would have placed money on Poe's home being a stereotypical bachelor's pad, big couch and oversized TV, nothing on the walls, maybe with some TV side-tables as furniture. Poe did have the big couch, but it was draped with a soft-looking blanket, side table and reading light. He had an actual bookshelf full of books, and the wall was framed with smiling pictures of a family. 

Poe noticed where Luke's gaze had settled. "That's the family! My mom and dad, me, obviously," Poe walked over to the photos and Luke took the cue to follow, Poe continuing to talk, "aunt, uncle, cousin, grandmother! That's pretty much the family on my mom's side, my dad has a few cousins but we don't see them as often..."

Luke's attention was caught by a picture of Poe with a young girl on his shoulders, Poe looked like he was still in high school, the girl barely out of her toddler years. The girls arms were thrown out like airplane wings, and Poe seemed to be madly running across the beach. They both looked astoundingly happy. 

"...yeah, that's the cousin. Bee. Good kid, neither of us have any siblings, so when she showed up I claimed her as the closest thing to a sister I was going to get. She's down in Mexico. Far, but that's the nice thing about flying! The world gets smaller, you know...ah." Poe stopped himself with a smile. "Sorry, I'm rambling, haven't even finished giving you the tour yet. Obviously, kitchen's back through there, help yourself to snacks, water, anything like..."

A surge of affection rolled over Luke as he listened to Poe's nervous babble. He seemed to be completely unable to shut his mouth off when his nerves turned on. Luke wondered what in the world he was nervous about. From Poe's easy confidence (and, frankly, his stunning good looks) Luke would have assumed that this part of the evening tended to go very easily for him. 

Then again, while Poe had made his attraction to Luke glaringly, blindingly clear, Luke wasn't certain he had adequately returned the favor. He stepped closer to Poe, laid his hand on Poe's jaw even while Poe was still talking. Poe cut himself off, swallowing hard and looking up at Luke. 

Luke smiled. "I'm looking forward to this." Then, slowly enough that Poe had plenty of time to back away, Luke pressed his lips against Poe's. 

Poe actually whined, the barest hitch in the back of his throat. Then, he threw his arms around Luke's waist and did his level best to eat Luke alive. His entire body surged forward, wrapping around Luke's, while his tongue pressed against the seam of Luke's lips. 

Luke opened his mouth slowly and tightened the hand at Poe's jaw, forcing him to temper his enthusiasm. Luke kissed Poe languidly, no hurry or rush, exploring Poe's mouth. Poe gentled under Luke's hand, muscles unwinding, relaxing into the kiss. Luke gave a low rumble of approval, bringing the other hand around to his neck, holding his head in place as Luke enjoyed his lush, warm mouth.

Poe melted against Luke, his hands stroking against Luke's back, making soft satisfied noises that Luke swallowed down. Luke pulled back reluctantly, wanting to spend hours doing nothing but kissing Poe. 

However, the itching feel of stale sweat along his collar was really beginning to detract from the experience. 

Poe still looked dazed, and Luke gave him a few seconds to pull himself together again, keeping his hands at Poe's jaw and neck, thumb tracing soft patterns against the skin. Once Poe seemed focused...enough...Luke said, "So, I was serious about wanting that shower." 

Poe groaned. "I could make a good argument that you are a horrendous tease."

Luke darted forward and placed a nipping kiss along the underside of Poe's jaw. Lips still pressed against Poe's skin, he said, "Don't worry, I'll be taking care of you." Luke pulled back again. "After the shower." 

"What about during?" Poe asked, suggestively, making a clear effort to pull himself together. 

"We could start, certainly. I do want a bed to be involved at some point," Luke said, thinking rueful thoughts about what his back would and would not tolerate, these days. "Do you want to share?"

"Luke, at this point, if you get naked and I don't get to touch, I think I might actually die." 

"Melodramatic," Luke chided, giving Poe a gentle shove in the general direction he thought the bathroom might be. 

Poe, took Luke back to the bedroom, first, showed him a place to tuck his bag and shoes. Luke retreated to the bathroom to strip the rest of the uniform off. He had seen the longing looks Poe was giving the bed, and Luke didn't trust his self-control to hold out under a full assault of a pleading Poe. Luke had his collared shirt off when Poe walked in, stripped to his boxers, and Luke's hands stilled entirely. 

That was...just unfair. Luke didn't have a lot of body issues, he was in better shape than most his age. Still, he figured he could probably have a good go at developing some, staring at the offensive cut of Poe's hips, the pure unblemished golden tan of his skin. 

Poe lifted his chin and grinned over at Luke. Whatever else Luke's face was doing, it was clearly working wonders for Poe's self-esteem. Poe gestured over at Luke. "Please, don't let me stop you." 

Luke gave an internal sigh. Well, if Poe was disappointed by what lay beneath the Captain's uniform, it was going to be an issue with or without Luke having a fit over it. Luke dropped off his collared shirt and stripped his undershirt off after that. He started on the buckle, chagrin running his hands on autopilot. Poe stepped forward, grabbing Luke's hands, winding fingers through Luke's. 

Luke looked up at Poe, questioning. 

"Just want to savor this for a moment." Poe said, his eyes tracing over Luke's chest, entirely appreciative. "You're gorgeous."

Luke gave a disbelieving chuckle. "You are not the one who should be saying that." 

"Oh, you think I'm gorgeous too?" Poe asked, teasing glint as he looked back up at Luke. 

"Entirely," Luke said softly, untangling his hands from Poe and lifting them to trace lightly down his chest, following the lines until his hands rested on Poe's hips. "Want to help me with my pants, then?"

Poe nodded, darting in to steal a kiss before drifting his hands south to work on Luke's buckle. The gesture was derailed when Poe ran his fingers through the fine hair leading down below the waistline, and Luke's belly skittered under Poe's fingers. Poe looked up at Luke, delighted. "Are you—" 

Luke cut him off, brushing his fingers away. "I'll never admit it. Go take care of the water." Luke jerked his chin at the shower. Poe went, laughing. 

While Poe was distracted by the shower, Luke shucked the rest of the clothes off. Poe finished fiddling with the knobs and turned back around, eyes widening as he took in the newly naked Luke. He gave a soft, punched out groan, and reached for Luke. "Can I...?" 

"In the shower," Luke said, stepping past Poe into the shower. He stood under the spray, his whole body relaxing as the hot water poured over him. "Oh that feels glorious." He leaned his head back, soaking his hair, before wiping his eyes clear and glancing back to where Poe still sat outside the shower.

Poe looked oddly hesitant as he reached for his own boxers. 

"You okay?" Luke asked. 

Poe shook his head. "Yeah, this is just...I don't usually..." Poe shrugged, tension in his jaw as he said, "It usually goes from door to bedroom, you know?" 

Luke's face softened. "We're heading there, I promise. Just a quick stop on the way. I can find you in the bedroom, if you want." 

"No, no. I want to. It's just...a little strange." Poe looked determined, and stripped off his boxers. He stepped into the shower, careful not to get between Luke and the spray. 

There was a long moment where they just looked at each other, hot spray hitting Luke's back as Poe shifted in front of him. Poe looked a little uncomfortable, playing with his hands like he didn't quite know what to do with them. 

With a pang, Luke realized that while years of marriage had made sharing a shower a casual intimacy for him, it _was_ strange for a casual hookup. Maybe he should have brushed off Poe's offer, done the less-glamorous work of getting clean by himself, and then joined Poe for the more traditional unclothed activities. 

But they were here, and awkwardness aside, they were each other's for the evening. So maybe Luke's barometer for normal was off. The important thing was that they made it work. Luke spread his arms. "Come on over, then. I know you wanted to touch." 

Looking relieved to have some direction, Poe crossed the distance between them. 

Poe seemed to warm to things, after that. His hands traced over Luke, exploratory, teasing. They found the line of his shoulders, dips of his ribs, the softness his belly, the curve of his hip. 

Luke leaned into him, his body starting to wake up. He basked in the feeling of attention, the fundamental joy of being touched. Luke shivered as Poe's hands roamed, let the feeling build, until the urge to reach out and return the affection was undeniable. 

Luke reached out, hands running over the planes of Poe's back, shoulder to spine to the curve of— 

Luke cupped his hand around Poe's ass at the same time Poe's fingers found his cock, and they both rocked towards each other. Luke used his handful to haul Poe closer, trapping Poe's hand between their bodies. Poe worked free, giving up his grip in favor of slotting his body closer to Luke's. They kissed, and it was a hungry thing, tangling up in each other. Luke felt Poe's cock against his hip, hot and quickly growing harder. Luke groaned into the kiss. 

A disgruntled noise was surprised out of Luke when Poe broke away from the kiss first, panting slightly, his hands to Luke's waist, shoving him a few careful inches back. Poe gave a sheepish smile. "You did mention you wanted a bed to be involved at some point, right? That was...rapidly becoming not the case." 

Luke shook his head. "To be young again." 

Poe rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah." Poe flared a hand over his chest dramatically. "I'm just overwhelmed by your beauty." 

"Right, sure. Well, if you're so easily overwhelmed, you just stay over there and hand me whichever of those bottles is the shampoo, then." Luke grinned. 

"I can do that." 

A blue bottle was handed over to Luke, Luke uncapped it and poured the gel into his hands, faint smell of manufactured ocean filling the shower. Luke considered the gel, looked over at Poe, and at the shower-damp brown hair he was suddenly desperate to run his fingers through. "May I?" he asked impulsively, gesturing with the gel filled hand toward Poe's hair. 

"You...want to wash my hair?" Poe asked slowly. "I...sure?"

Poe sounded confused by the idea, but followed Luke's nudging easily enough. Poe slid forward and around Luke, then with a nod of understanding, leaned back into the spray. The water ran over his hair, spray collecting into rivulets cascading down his neck, his chest, his hips, his legs. Luke's breath caught as he was captivated by the beauty in front of him. 

This whole evening was so surreal, so different from Luke's normal that he had trouble believing it was happening. Any minute now the scene could dissolve, he could jolt awake over the Atlantic. This moment had the same sort of beautiful otherness that flying had, entirely untethered. He wondered if that was why he wanted to do something simple, tactile. Something to ground him in the now, convince himself that this was really happening. 

Maybe. Or maybe he just found that thick wavy brown hair appealing, and this was as good an excuse as any to touch it. 

Poe straightened back out of the spray, hair plastered against his forehead, looking at Luke in anticipation. He swallowed as Luke stepped in close, his eyes sliding shut but his shoulders drawn stiff. With a silent hope that this whole idea wouldn't end as awkwardly as it was beginning, Luke reached up, and started working the gel through Poe's hair. 

It was as perfect as Luke had expected, thick, it flowed through Luke's fingers, long enough for movement, short enough that there were only a few snarls. 

The tension bled out of Poe by inches, shoulders slowly dropping, stress lines around his eyes and mouth relaxing. Luke massaged his fingers around the back of Poe's head, and Poe tipped forward. He swayed, and just as Luke began to worry he might fall over entirely, Poe braced his hand along the shower side. After a moment more, the last of his hesitation seemed to fade away. He stepped closer to Luke and melted, his forehead puddling down against Luke's shoulder, a blissed out sigh on his lips. 

"You're going to get shampoo in your eyes," Luke chided softly, swallowing back a surge of emotion that came on the heels of Poe's closeness. Luke felt like he was being trusted with something, and he was filled with a fierceness to keep it safe. 

"'M keeping them closed. 'S fine," Poe mumbled in response, his words coming thick and slow. 

"Okay then," Luke pressed his fingers in firm circles, a light massage along the back of Poe's neck, chasing the tension that six hours in a pilots seat brought with it. 

Poe shifted, content hum as he nuzzled against Luke's neck, no trace of his former nervous energy, all bled out in favor of quiet pleasure. "'S nice," Poe said against Luke's neck. 

"Good." Luke hadn't expected this...collapse. Poe seemed so relaxed. Content. 

Luke blinked as, on the heels of that thought, a wave of possessiveness surged over him. Had nobody done this for Poe before? Door to bedroom indeed. Luke was willing to bet that wasn't what Poe had wanted, not really. Not when he responded so readily to this sort of intimacy. 

Luke hadn't the faintest idea what Poe's relationship history looked like but he had the sinking feeling it was filled with people who hadn't been careful, hadn't paid attention. 

Luke couldn't fix that. But he could take his time now, and at least tonight, Poe could have an evening where he felt...cherished. 

_You're a sentimental old fool._

Luke mentally shrugged at his inner voice. Maybe so, but that didn't mean he was going to stop.

Luke's fingers kept working long after Poe's hair was thoroughly clean. Poe seemed uninclined to move, his forehead resting along the crook of Luke's neck, making soft sounds of satisfaction as Luke's fingers worked through his hair. To Luke's delight, Poe's breathing went slow and even, so profoundly relaxed he might even be— 

Poe gave a little jerk, twitching back awake. 

"Careful with your eyes," Luke said, quickly guiding Poe back into the spray, averting a minor soap-based catastrophe. 

Luke kept his hands in Poe's hair, working the suds out as thoroughly as he worked them in. Poe teetered a bit, and Luke steadied him, Poe blinked his eyes open with a sheepish grin. "I...sorry about that. I was out of it." 

"No apologies needed." Luke let his hands slide out of Poe's hair, loosely cupped around the back of his neck. "It was nice to have an excuse to play with your hair." 

"It is one of my best features." Poe said, still shaking off the drowsiness. 

"One of many," Luke said, even to his own ears sounding unbearably fond. "Are you still up for sex? It's alright if you need to sleep." 

Poe stiffened under the spray, looking indignant. "Luke Skywalker, what kind of a cocktease do you think I am?" 

Luke protested, and Poe cut him off, growing more awake as he threw his hands up and said, "I would not ask you out for drinks, give you some top-notch flirting, proposition you, take you back to my house, and when we are finally naked together _not_ let you fuck me." 

Luke stiffened at Poe's outrage recoiling slightly as he said, "It would be fine." 

"It would be rude!" 

"No!" snapped Luke. "What's _rude_ is anyone who makes you feel like you can't change your mind. _Rude_ is sleeping with me if you don't actually want to. I have been doing this for too long, Poe, to have any interest in anything less than someone who wants me as much as I want them." 

Poe dropped his hands. "Of course I want you." 

Luke flattened his lips, aware that he had probably gotten overly worked up, but still unwilling to let it go entirely. "You didn't say that. And besides, you're human, you're allowed to be tired. Even if you want me, I can take a raincheck." 

Poe softened, looking fond over at Luke. "You're gorgeous when you're all righteous. Alright, for clarity's sake," Poe's hands found Luke's hips, "I’m not that tired, and I want you to take me to bed, tonight, and fuck me senseless." 

Luke's breathing stuttered, and Poe gave a wicked grin and pulled Luke closer. "Oh, you like that, don't you," Poe purred. "Hey. I want you to fuck me."

It was so much. It was too much—Poe's hands on his waist and that glint in his eyes, his voice curling through the steam-thick air. Poe gave a wicked little grin as he delivered his coup de grâce, "Please."

Luke dug his fingers into the back of Poe's neck, stroking a firm line down the corded muscle there. When he reached the shoulder he tightened his grip, hauling Poe in for a rough kiss. Poe's arms tightened along his waist as he slotted himself against Luke, pleading little noises escaping as Luke devoured him.

Luke pulled back for air, gasping, water flowing over both of them, drone of the shower nearly masked by the roar of his own beating heart. 

Poe growled. "Now I'm figuring out how you work." He attacked Luke's neck, rough kisses up the side of it, reaching Luke's ear and stopping to whisper, "Please Luke, baby, open me up and use me." 

Luke was infuriated this was working—every molecule in his body singing with the want of Poe, wanting that body, wanting to make that mouth gasp, make those words hitch and tremble. Poe was begging, and Luke wanted to meet his every wish and then make him plead for more. And Poe knew it, he was artless in his approach and blatant in his desire, and it _shouldn't_ be working, but it was. 

And _how_. 

Luke dropped his hands from behind Poe's neck, fumbling behind Poe for the shower knob. Poe figured out what he was doing and fell back against water controls with a grin, knocking Luke's hand away and leaving Luke blinking in the spray. Poe ducked his head, radiating false innocence. "But you haven't washed your hair yet." He stuck his bottom lip out in a parody of a pout. 

"I am clean _enough_ ," Luke growled, surging forward to capture that lip between his teeth. 

Poe shuddered and groaned, working his own hands behind him to turn the water off while Luke took his mouth, none too gently. Gradually Luke became aware of the chill on his naked back, that the dull roar of the shower had stopped, that Poe's hands were back on him, scrabbling at his shoulders as he tried to return Luke's assault. 

Luke pulled back, opened the shower door and stepped out of it, tugging Poe after him. 

Poe followed, navigating the small lip carefully, before turning his attention back to Luke, wrapping his still dripping form around Luke again and whispering, "What do you want, Luke? How do you want me? Whatever you want, it’s yours—" Poe cut off abruptly as Luke unceremoniously dropped a towel over his head, pulling back with a stuttering laugh. 

Luke reached forward, rubbing at Poe's head over the towel, sliding it down over the front of his face, Poe's head popping out the top with a little laugh. "What was tha..." 

Poe trailed off again as Luke purposefully moved the towel down, across his chest, over his hip, letting the terrycloth slide over Poe's cock but not touching it himself. Luke crouched down as he slid the towel down one leg, hand over fabric along Poe's inner thigh. 

"Oh, god," Poe managed.

Luke smirked up at him, dragging the towel roughly down the inside of Poe's leg, letting it slide along his calves, before switching to the other leg and beginning the journey back up, slow inexorable movement along the inside of Poe's leg. 

Poe's leg trembled, he reached back, bracing himself on the small counter. "Fuck." 

"Getting there," Luke said mildly, as he traced the terrycloth up Poe's other thigh. He kept the towel moving, this time, let his fabric covered hand trace over Poe's balls, and then, finally, up, stroking along Poe's cock, already hard against his belly. 

Poe gave a hiss and jerked his hips forward. Luke gave Poe a few short, rough strokes before pulling back, leaving Poe sprawled against the cabinet and heaving for breath. 

"Bed now, I think," Luke said, his voice mild as he reached up and toweled his own hair. 

Poe, looking stunned and irritated and aroused all at the same time, fixed Luke with a furious glare. "You..."

"Me." Luke grinned at Poe's frustrated expression. He let the towel fall over his shoulders as he stepped closer, and then closer again, between Poe's legs. His hands covered Poe's on the counter, and he leaned his weight against Poe's, pinning him gently, pressing up against him. "What, did you really want me to jerk you off into a towel in your bathroom?" Luke shifted, until his length slid alongside Poe's, slight roll of his hips giving the most delicious friction. "You want me to drive you over the edge frotting in front of your bathroom mirror?" 

Poe's hips twitched towards Luke, even as he said through clenched teeth, "You are simultaneously the hottest and most frustrating person I have ever gone to bed with."

"I really doubt that," Luke said, grinding again as he leaned in to kiss Poe. 

Poe's whine was half frustration, half arousal, his hands strained against Luke's grip. Luke let them go, and Poe wound his arms around Luke's neck. Poe hauled Luke closer and kissed him like he had something to lose, kissed him like he was going to vanish if Poe wasn't careful. Luke gentled the embrace, reassuring, letting him know that Luke wasn't planning on going anywhere until they both got what they were looking for. 

Luke pulled back, staying firm as Poe's arms tried to keep him close. He brought one hand up to frame Poe's face. "That counter has got to be getting uncomfortable. You want to show me that bed of yours?" 

"I'm planning on doing a lot more than just show it to you," Poe said.

"Lead the way." Luke took a step backward, Poe staying wrapped around him. They made their way over to the bedroom, still wrapped around each other, soft giggles as they tripped over each other's legs. When they got to the bed, Luke spun Poe around and gave him a gentle nudge back. Poe went easily, sprawling across the bed giving Luke a bright smile as he stretched out. 

Luke let himself look, let the anticipation build. He would touch, soon, he would cover that body with his own and wrap them both up in pleasure. But for now, he looked, drank in the sight of Poe, ready for him. 

"Luke," Poe said, plaintive, reaching for him, "Please." 

Luke went. He kissed as he travelled his way up Poe's body: ankle, knee, the top of his thigh, the base of his ribs, breastbone, his lips. Luke relaxed into kissing Poe, let the hands that roamed over his shoulders and sides pull him down, skin finding skin along their bodies. Luke lost track of the time; time was so much dust compared this—his body moving against Poe's, their lips speaking the language that needed no words. 

Want crept in, showing itself slowly—his cock sliding silken over Poe's hip, Poe's breath hitching and fingers grasping, Luke suddenly unable to hold Poe tight enough. Luke forced himself to push away, up to look down at Poe—red-lipped and wild-eyed, entirely beautiful. 

"Please tell me there are condoms in this house." 

"Of course there are condoms." Poe rolled over, out from under Luke, and reached for the small table next to the bed. Luke trailed his fingers along Poe's spine as Poe rummaged through the nightstand, and Poe was distracted from his quest, his hand stilling in the drawer as he arched his back against Luke's fingers. Luke ran his fingers down to Poe's hip, patting slightly. Poe shook his head and resumed his search. He emerged with a triumphant noise, several packets of condoms and a promising-looking purple bottle in his hands. 

Luke went up onto his knees, reaching over Poe to take the packets and the bottle. He gave Poe a considering look. "I'm going to fuck you, now." 

The effect of the words on Poe was immediate, his eyes went dark, and almost involuntarily his legs spread apart. Luke put the condoms down within easy reach, and gave Poe's thigh an approving pat. Poe smiled and more deliberately spread his legs further, gently nudging Luke between them with his ankle. 

Luke settled there, sliding his free hand slowly up Poe's thigh, along Poe's ass, teasing his fingers along the crack. He’s rewarded as Poe twitched visibly in anticipation, eager shiver running through his body, a grin at the sound of the bottle being opened. Luke let a generous helping of lube slick up his fingers, set the bottle on the table, then pressed his way inside Poe. 

There was something about this, about the way that bodies merged, the trust in the moment. Luke loved it, he always loved it, and this time with Poe was particularly perfect. 

Poe was incredibly responsive, open in every sense of the word, his legs splayed, his hips canting, his face showing every feeling. Discomfort from the initial stretch quickly faded to satisfaction, curling into pleasure as Luke carefully moved his fingers. 

Luke knew how to make someone feel good, how to spoil, how to coax pleasure from a partner. Everyone was different, though, and to Luke's delight, Poe made no effort to hide his particular tells. His pleasure was obvious, content groans and "oh, yes, __that__ ," and a certain amount of impatient thrusting down on Luke's fingers. Luke smiled and kissed Poe's hip, then he leaned still further up, slowly pulling his fingers out. 

Poe expressed immediate displeasure, a whine as his hips tried to chase the fingers. 

Luke nuzzled Poe's neck. "I could take you to pieces on just my fingers, but I was under the impression you were excited about my cock being involved at some point." 

Poe's displeased noises quickly turned into anticipatory ones, though he did manage to mumble out, "How are you so...words?" 

Luke gave a bright laugh, ducking down to give Poe another affectionate kiss. "Don't worry..." Luke reached for the condom, tearing it open and sliding it on as he said, "you'll soon be so incoherent it won't bother you how eloquent I am." 

Poe arched an eyebrow. "Confident." 

Luke reached for the bottle again, slicking up his cock as he said, mildly, "With good reason." 

"Oh real—"

Poe choked off with a ragged gasp as Luke grabbed Poe's hips and thrust into him with one long, smooth stroke. Luke gave Poe half a second to adjust to the stretch, a blink-quick check to make sure there was no pain. Poe arched against the bed, hands clenching the sheets, and Luke began fucking him in earnest. 

He felt so good, he felt like paradise, hot and luxurious and Luke's to enjoy. One last hard stroke and Luke stopped suddenly, settled to the hilt. He waited until Poe relaxed, started to look up in confusion, and then Luke wrapped his still-slick hand around Poe's achingly hard cock and worked him with slow, twisting stokes. 

Poe bit his lip and reached forward again, his hand landing on Luke's shoulder. "God, Luke, you feel...shit...I might—"

Luke managed to pull back in time, leaving Poe shuddering against the bed. "Bit of a hair trigger?" Luke kissed the hand on his shoulder. 

"Maybe." A ruddy flush bloomed under his skin, as Poe continued, "Come _on,_ shut up and fuck me." His smile took any sting out of his words. 

"I can do that." 

Poe was close to the edge, Luke could tip him over in a second, but there was no art in that. Luke watched Poe carefully, the way his hips moved as he got close, the way his breathing turned ragged. Luke learned his tells, and used them.

Luke fucked Poe hard until he was gasping for it, then slowed to a crawl, the barest twitch of his hips until Poe calmed down. Luke played with him, taking him in hand, fast firm strokes until his back was curved off the bed, then withdrawing again, leaving him keening with want. Luke shushed him, drew teasingly light fingers across his skin until, with a final judder, his muscles relaxed. 

Then Luke started fucking him all over again. 

Luke shifted, grabbing Poe's leg and stretching it up, across Luke's chest, forcing Poe further open. It was harder to thrust, at this angle, but the slow deep strokes went even deeper, leaving Poe squirming and gasping on his cock. Luke pressed an idle kiss against Poe's ankle as he rolled his hips. "You're so beautiful." 

Poe moaned, words not coming easily any longer.

"So good for me. You take me so well. You love the feeling of me inside you, don't you."

Poe shivered, giving a shaky nod. 

Luke thrust a few more times, then shifted, slowly lowering Poe's leg back to the bed. Luke settled himself between Poe's legs again, shifting so he could reach Poe's lips, stealing a kiss, gentle despite the hunger of the moment. 

Luke slid his hand along Poe's flank, trailing touch until his hand just barely covered Poe's cock. Poe immediately tried to move into the heat, but Luke didn't allow it, keeping his touch light. He fixed Poe with an intent look, waited until Poe stilled under him, and then said, "I can make you come, right now. Or I can stop teasing and fuck you until I've had my pleasure. What do you want?"

Poe gave a shuddering gasp and his hips dropped away from Luke's hand. "Take me, please, use me, come inside me, I need you…" 

Poe's words hadn't become any less potent, and Luke's cock gave an excited twitch. Luke leaned down to kiss Poe, savoring the taste of him, and slowly pulled out. 

"No," Poe whined against the kiss. 

"Shh," Luke said. "Can you roll over for me?"

Poe let Luke guide him up on his knees, shoulders still against the bed, ass in the air. Luke arranged Poe to his satisfaction and asked, "Can you stay there, just like that?" Poe nodded against the pillows, a tremble running through his shoulders. 

"Very good." Luke reached for the bottle of lubricant, coating his fingers and running them along Poe's ass, sliding it generously over the reddened, slightly swollen skin. Luke teased his fingers in, this time they slid in easily, Poe open and waiting for him. Something satisfied settled in his chest as he pulled his fingers out again; Poe would feel him tomorrow. Would remember. 

_'I'm not going to forget it,'_ Luke mused as he ran a fresh layer of lubricant over his cock. He hoped he could return the favor. 

And with that, he fitted his hands around Poe's hips and drove into him. 

Poe's shout was muffled by the pillow, his entire body tensing at the sudden thrust. Luke was moving decisively now, no more concerns about dancing close to the edge and pulling back, fucking with intent, with abandon

Poe went boneless underneath Luke, the trembles between his shoulders returned, rolling through Poe's muscles with every slapping contact of Luke's hips with Poe's ass. Luke reached a hand down and laid it lightly between the shoulder blades, just enough pressure so Poe knew Luke was paying attention.

The shudders stopped, and after a second Poe twisted his head, once his mouth was free of the pillow, Luke could hear mumbling encouragement. It started in the middle, an unbroken chain of pleading praise, "...es, please, god, give it to me, I need it, yes…" 

Poe's open desire urged on the growing twist of fire in Luke's belly. Luke chased it, his thrusts stuttering, becoming desperate, chasing the wild edge of pleasure until he threw himself over it, crashing into Poe and coming with a shout. 

Luke shivered as he came, curling himself over Poe's back. Poe pushed up from the pillow, reaching around to grab Luke's arm, hold it tight against his chest. Luke placed lazy kisses against Poe's back, slowly coming back to himself. 

As things became more clear, he realized Poe was strung tight with tension—small twitches in his shoulders betraying the effort of his patience with Luke's afterglow. Luke clumsily slid his hand down Poe's chest and found his cock, jerking Poe off in fumbling strokes. It was completely lacking in finesse, but Poe was too far gone to need it. After he came, they collapsed together into a messy sprawl against the bed. 

Luke stayed there, inelegantly panting on top of Poe, until he felt himself softening. He was going to fall out with a mess if he didn't move. Luke carefully grabbed the condom base and pulled out, his free hand stroking along Poe's back. Luke groaned and fumbled for the towel he knew he had left somewhere near the edge of the bed. Luke got himself more or less neat, then, folding the towel to find a clean edge, nudged Poe to roll over. "Let me clean you up." 

Poe muttered something incoherent about full service treatment, but obligingly rolled over. Luke cleaned him up with gentle swipes of the towel, enjoying the happy content noises Poe was making. When he was done, Poe still happily muddled, Luke leaned down and kissed Poe again. The kiss was soft, Poe made an utterly pleased noise and opened his mouth, welcoming a sort of lazy intimacy, reaching for Luke and pulling him in. 

"You promised cuddling," Poe murmured. As soon as the words slipped free, some of the ease went out of Poe's limbs, worry tightening the muscles. 

Luke's heart broke. Did he think Luke wouldn't? 

Had someone else not? 

"I did," was all Luke said, skirting around those thoughts. He stretched out next to Poe and pulled him in. After a bit of clumsy movement, they managed to settle, Luke stretched out on his back and Poe tucked against his side. Luke ran a gentle hand over the arm stretched across his chest. He kissed the top of Poe's head as Poe gave a massive yawn and curled in tighter. 

Luke felt his eyes grow heavy, but before he let himself slip away he tried to fix this moment in his mind. There was a creature comfort, in having another human so close, in knowing that you weren't alone. It happened rarely enough for Luke these days that he wanted to grab at this time, this place.

Luke traced pleasure of the afterglow heavy in his limbs, the scent of musk lingering in the air. He revelled in the soft weight of Poe's head against his chest, the slight dampness still clinging to his hair, cool against Luke's sex-warmed skin. He savored the way Poe's exhale fluttered across Luke's skin, the tiny twitches of his limbs, the warmth and the comfort in his drowsy body. 

As Luke reached out, taking in their time together with every sense at his disposal, he felt tension creep back into Poe's shoulders, felt the way even breathing skittered again. Poe took in a slow breath, then spoke, "So...how long are you going to be hanging around tonight? Do you need to get back home?"

"I was planning on spending the night. Is that alright?" Luke asked, belatedly realizing that he had presumed. Poe wanted some affection after an intense fucking, that wasn't the same as wanting someone in your bed overnight. 

Luke's worries were soon put to rest by the way Poe almost involuntarily held Luke a little tighter, the way his muscles relaxed as he said, "Yeah. Perfect."

"I'm glad," Luke pressed another kiss against Poe's damp hair, curling slightly as it dried. "Sleep, now," Luke said, trailing his hand lightly up and down Poe's arm. 

"Will do." 

They were the last coherent words Poe managed before sleep claimed him, and Luke followed after, warm, content, and not alone. 

* * *

Luke woke the next morning, and it was a gradual slide from unconsciousness, aware first that he was warm, his right side particularly so. There was something laying on him, but it wasn't bad. Luke's brain was very definite about that. This was a pleasant experience. So pleasant that sleep dragged at him again, luring him back down. Luke opened his eyes enough to see the top of Poe's head, and decided to let it. 

He woke again, a little more aware, this time, of the ache in his thighs, of the small puddle of drool that had collected under Poe's mouth, of the way his right arm had gone entirely numb from where Poe had been resting one it. Still not bad. 

Poe breathed slowly and evenly against him, content and close, and right now Luke would sooner cut his own arm off than disturb Poe's rest. Luke watched Poe sleep, still warm and happy, but the worries of the morning started to creep in. 

What happened next? Luke went on his way, and Poe became a baffling happy memory? Luke grumbled at that. He _liked_ Poe. Luke had never been one to give up on a potential friendship easily. 

It was going to have its awkward moments; if they had sex again, if they never did. Luke knew he wanted to, and the lean line of Poe pressed naked against him was doing nothing to slake that want. But Poe was Luke's junior at the airline, and in life—Luke had more power, more experience...and more baggage. It might not be smart for Poe to get too involved with him. 

Luke flattened his lips as he looked down at the sleeping form. Well, that was Poe's choice, wasn't it? Luke would respect it. He would also let Poe know that he had a choice. That with or without the bed-shaking sex, he was interested in keeping Poe around. 

That resolved, at least to himself, Luke set about trying to stretch out his thighs and work some feeling back into his arm. Luke moved slowly, hoping not to disturb Poe, but when he rolled his shoulder sudden painful prickles flooded his arm. Luke couldn't help the hissing breath through his teeth, and next to him, Poe twitched. 

Poe's arm across his chest jerked back, then settled again, giving Luke's chest a couple hesitant pats. Poe shifted, and sleep-fuzzed brown eyes were now blinking up at Luke. Once Poe saw Luke, a radiant smile cleared the last of the sleep from his face. The tension bled from his muscles, and he cuddled up even closer to Luke. 

Affection bloomed, so fierce it ached in Luke's stomach. He could be good to Poe, he knew it. What Poe wanted lined up so perfect with what Luke was willing to give. _Poe's choice_ , Luke reminded himself, even as he tightened his still-tingling arm along Poe's back. His arm protested, and Luke winced and rolled his shoulder again. 

"Oh, hey, let me..." Poe shifted up, making like he was going to disentangle from Luke. 

Luke grunted in disapproval at that, instead guiding Poe up and over him. He nudged Poe back down against his chest, giving his shoulder free reign to move. Poe didn't mind the rearrangement, particularly not once Luke ran his non-tingling hand up Poe's back, settling to slowly scritch his fingers through Poe's hair. Poe gave a gleeful sigh and collapsed back down on to Luke's chest.

"You're really spoiling me with that," Poe mumbled. 

"I try." Luke's fingers caught in Poe's hair, the thick brown had tangled over on itself. "Besides, I like your hair. It's...curly." 

"Oh, yeah." Poe sighed. "I slept on it wet. It'll be an unmanageable pile until I shower again." 

"I like it," Luke insisted, finding safe ways to massage his fingers through said unmanageable pile. 

"'M glad. Speaking of showers..." Poe swallowed, and Luke could feel the way his stomach contracted. "I'd like to try that shower again?" His hesitancy curved the statement to a question, but he pressed on, "I want to blow you." 

Considering the fact that Poe was laying on top of Luke's chest, there was no way that he could miss the way that line hit Luke, a sharp inhale inflating his lungs. Luke could feel Poe's smirk as he continued. "I'm good with my mouth, you know." 

What _would_ Poe's tongue feel like, dancing around him? Luke's cock took interest in that line of thinking, slowly starting to stiffen against Poe's belly. Luke registered this with faint surprise. These days, after an orgasm as good as the one he'd had last night, his erection tended to need more coaxing to show up again this quickly. 

Luke dragged his thoughts away from that and back to the actual question at hand. "In the shower?" Luke asked He lifted a foot and ran the ball of his foot along Poe's calf, tapping lightly with his toes when he reached the back of Poe's knee. "I'd think that would hurt." 

"Not for me," Poe said cheerfully. "I'm young and spry." 

Luke huffed in amusement, still working his hand along Poe's scalp, trying to find the response beyond, "Oh god, yes, let's do that." There were things they should talk about. Be __responsible__ about.

"Just imagine," Poe continued dreamily, unaware of Luke's internal conflict, "me on my knees in front of you, you can keep that hand tucked in my hair, your cock sliding between my lips." 

Luke could more than imagine. His hand spasmed involuntarily, fingers clenching in Poe's hair. Poe gasped, shoulders flinching. 

Luke opened his mouth for an apology and started relaxing his grip, when he caught sight of Poe's face. Poe's eyes were unfocused, his jaw slack, and he certainly didn't look like he was in pain. Luke licked his lips and slowly tightened his fingers again. 

Luke gave Poe's hair an experimental tug, pulling his head back to expose the long line of his neck. Poe moaned. Luke swallowed, shivering as want raced through him at the sight of Poe's blown out pupils, the unsteady cadence to his breathing. "You're beautiful," he whispered. 

Poe's body trembled, his hands clenching along Luke's side. 

Luke carefully pulled back, and Poe moved with the hand, desperate approving noises spilling out of his mouth. Growing bolder, Luke used his grip to drag Poe up the length of his body, biting his lip as Poe's skin dragged along his quickly-aching cock. "God, I want you." He groaned as Poe's cock slotted in next to his, leaned up to lay sharp kisses against Poe's neck. 

Poe's hands clenched at Luke's biceps, using that little bit of leverage to helplessly rut against Luke. Luke could feel his breath choke with each new hungry nip Luke placed along the line of his throat. 

Poe stammered, "Luke—ah, want you, want you too, I—oh!" and with a choked off gasp Luke felt Poe pulse against him, slippery warmth flooding the area between them. 

Luke gave his own broken groan as Poe collapsed on top of him, gentling his hand in Poe's hair and dropping the other to Poe's ass. Luke held Poe against him, and after a handful of frenzied thrusts against the slick curve of Poe's hip, Luke's orgasm slammed into him, leaving him stunned and gasping.

As pleasure slowly ebbed and Luke's thoughts organized themselves neatly again, a wave of embarrassment ran over him. Had he really just— 

And then— 

Luke tucked his head against Poe's neck and laughed.

Poe gave a delighted chuckle, and Luke felt his hand warm against the back of Luke's neck. "Well. I, um, may have a bit of a kink there." 

"Apparently, me too," Luke muttered. 

"I noticed," Poe said, sounding like he had just received the best possible gift. 

"I have bad news about your planned shower blowjob." Luke finally untucked his face from Poe's neck, knowing he was entirely pink. 

"Aw." Poe chuckled as he spoke, happy crinkles in the corner of his eyes as he followed Luke's blush down his chest. "Not getting it up again?" 

"Someday, you too will have to accept the reality of middle-aged refractory periods," Luke grumbled. He made a face as he shifted against Poe, fluid between them starting to get tacky. "Though we will definitely need the shower part of your plan." 

"I'll wash your hair this time," Poe said, easily agreeing as he pulled off of Luke. They both looked at the mess left on Luke's stomach, and Poe started giggling. Luke joined him. Through the laughter, Poe pulled a pillowcase off of one of his pillows and passed it over to Luke. "The sheets are a loss anyway." 

Luke's chuckles died down as he cleaned himself up, looking over at Poe stripping a second pillow to handle his own stomach. Poe looked up, and caught his eye. They were both still smiling, and Luke wasn't surprised when Poe blurted out, "I want to do this again." 

"Me too," Luke said.

And after all the worry, it was an easy as that. 

* * *

Luke rummaged through his small suitcase, musing wryly that one of the advantages of career flying was that he almost always had an overnight bag on him. Nice, not to have to crawl back into his stale button-down. He tugged a shirt over his head, straightening to find Poe emerging from the bathroom, looking tousled and beautiful. 

Poe walked over to him, small smile on his face. "I'm torn—I feel like I shouldn't be in favor of you putting clothes back _on_ but it's fun to see you out of uniform." 

Luke smiled, smoothing his shirt and looking over at the dark jeans and the light green v-neck tee that Poe was now wearing. "I know the feeling." 

"Part of you just want to keep me naked?" Poe grinned, raising his eyebrows, "Legs spread and waiting for you?" 

Luke flushed, and a sharp grin glinted on Poe's face. "I'm so happy I learned how to make you do that." 

Luke shook his head. "Menace." 

Luke wanted to reach for Poe, kiss him, but he wasn't sure what the rules were here—was it still welcome? Or had they already slid back into friendship? 

This uncertainty had never been an issue with the handful of other lovers Luke had taken to bed since Dak had passed. He was normally a carefully selective partner, who talked things through and had clear expectations before hooking up with someone. Poe was different. There was a wildness to their connection that had blown so many of those careful rules out of the water, leaving uncertainty in their wake. 

Poe solved Luke's issue by sliding into his space and giving him a friendly kiss. Luke returned it happily. Poe pulled, something wistful crossing his face as he reached up and brushed some hair off of Luke's forehead. "We should probably actually have a conversation at some point about what we're looking for." 

Luke wondered when, exactly, he'd stop being surprised by the maturity behind the bright facade. "How about over breakfast? I know a good bagel place nearby." 

Poe nodded. "I will never turn down a good bagel." 

"My treat," Luke said with a smile. 

* * *

Luke's mind was racing as he fiddled with his keys, standing on his front porch half a day after he expected to be home, still reeling from what had happened in those twelve or so hours. 

He had fucked Poe senseless then spent the night wrapped around him, and at some point in the future, he was going to do it again. 

_"I don't know if I'm going to feel comfortable...initiating," Luke had said, as they sat across from each other in one of the deli's small booths, staring down at his seed-studded and salmon-filled bagel. "I'm worried about you feeling obligated."_

__

__

_"Well, that's bullshit," Poe had rolled his eyes, picking up his own strawberry-basil topped slice. "You're the opposite of an obligation. But I get it, and I don't have any trouble making the first move."_

Nothing mentioned at the airline, not the slightest hint of flirting if they flew together again. 

_"When we're working, we're working. If we decide we want to play, that comes later."_

__

"Agreed. Though, sometimes I don't know that I'm flirting." Poe admitted, wrinkling his nose as he looked over at Luke. 

__

_"I believe it." Luke smiled. "Just keep things platonic and we'll be fine."_

Shared calendar, keeping track of each other's flights. 

_"Maybe we end up in Bali together." Poe grinned. "Could be fun."_

No expectations of commitment, nothing particularly defined, just an open door into each other's lives. 

Luke finally managed to get his key into the door, pushing it open. He was greeted by a furious meow, and about twenty pounds of fuzz launched against his calves. "Hey Gup." Luke bent down reaching out his arms, and his massive Maine Coon leapt up on his shoulder. Luke straightened, petting her. "Sorry I'm late, I was a little busy." 

Super Guppy (long since shortened to Gup, after the name had served its primary purpose, namely, to get Bodhi to say, "You _nerd_ " and groan at him) purred happily. Luke was forgiven, apparently. 

Luke moved through the quiet house, checking to make sure everything was as he'd left it. There was the customary note on the fridge door from his favorite neighbor/catsitter. "Your monster has been satiated once more and your plants are watered. Also I upgraded your wifi router, the connection was getting a little slow. -Artu." 

Luke made a mental note to bring Artu a casserole now that he was back in town. Their agreement of I-watch-your-cat-and-steal-your-internet had grown over the years into a complicated give and take of meals, tech-support, plant watering, and gifts from far-flung countries.

Luke moved through the room until he found himself in front of a deep-set shadowbox, two gold rings hanging on a chain set next to a photograph of two impossibly young men in ill-fitting suits, staring at each other so filled with joy.

Luke smiled, touching the edge of the frame. "You won't believe what I just did, Dak." 

Luke kept moving, until he and Gup reached the couch, settling down. Gup hopped down from Luke's shoulder, curling in his lap, purring as he obligingly started petting her. 

Luke sighed, reaching out to that sense of Dak that was always with him but strongest here, in the home they shared. He scratched Gup's chin and said, "I wasn't planning on it. It'd be hard to plan for him. He's sharp. Unexpected." 

Luke leaned backward, letting his head fall against the back of the couch. "I'm seeing him again. I hope I'm not making a mistake." Luke wrinkled his nose and let all the ways this might go wrong run through his head, and then out of it again. One thought remained. "I think you'd like him." 

With that, Luke gave a slight nod, getting to his feet as Gup irritably slid off of his lap. Luke went back to his bag and pulled out his phone. He propped the phone between his ear and his shoulder, rummaging through his kitchen as he went. 

"Hey Luke! Um, just a second!" Luke smiled as there was a clatter across the line, and then Bodhi, faintly, yelling, dogs happily barking in the background. The phone was picked up again. 

"Luke?" 

"Still here." 

"Right! Sorry about that. Prin stole an apple off the table and ran off with it. She doesn't even like apples. She just likes being chased," Bodhi grumbled. 

"This is why I have a cat." 

"Your cat is the size of my dog. Well, one of my dogs. Anyway! Dinner, yes, tonight?" 

"Sure." 

"Oh, hey, how did flying with the pretty young thing go?" 

Luke was very, very glad that Bodhi couldn't see him. Face bright red but his tone steady, Luke responded, "You know, he was actually really respectful in the air. No issues. He's a good pilot." 

_And damn good in the sack._ Luke managed to keep himself from saying. 

"I thought you'd enjoy flying with him. Glad to hear I was right. Oh, hey, I've got a Cairo coming up, and I was wondering..." 

With that, the conversation slid on. Luke let his blush calm down, mentally chiding himself for not anticipating that question. Bodhi had enough ammunition to tease him. He didn't need this one too. 

Luke smiled at the air, at the comfortable weight of a secret inside him. He had spent the night with Poe held close. It had been fun, and comforting, and connecting, and it wasn't something he felt the need to share. It had been just for the two them. 

There was an unfamiliar energy in Luke's moments as he worked in his kitchen, distant anticipation thrumming in his limbs. The two of them had fit well together, and someday, hopefully soon, they'd do so again. Luke was looking forward to it. 

**Author's Note:**

> _Minor character death content warning: Luke is a widow in this universe, and his departed husband comes up several times during conversation, including Poe learning about it for the first time._
> 
>  
> 
> SURPRISE FIC. I wasn't actually expecting to post this one today, but I'm hopping on an airplane myself, and it seemed too appropriate to pass up. 
> 
> For the curious, Bodhi and Wedge's two dogs are Sully, a placid giant blue Great Dane, and Prin (short for Princess Biscuits, which is a story in and of itself), a Corgi who is adorable enough to very nearly make up for the mischief she causes. If I have anything to say about it, I'll write something that features them properly. 
> 
> [I’m on Tumblr,](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/sassysnowperson) if you'd care to chat.


End file.
